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Good practice Imported

AI for Everyone — South Korea's National Free AI Agent Programme for All Citizens

South Korea · Seoul · See the South Korea profile · See the Seoul profile

Evidence: Descriptive / self-reported Top 89% 33/100 · Ask Evidence Copilot about this practice

South Korea opened bidding in July 2026 for 'AI for Everyone', a free national AI chatbot and public-service agent for all 52 million citizens, aiming to be the first G20 country with state-funded AI access. Not yet launched; no outcome evidence exists.

52000000 people
Citizens targeted by the programme
50 %
Minimum share of domestic foundation models required
2028 year
Free service funded through
AI for Everyone — South Korea's National Free AI Agent Programme for All Citizens

Details

Promoter
Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), Republic of Korea
Period
2026- (procurement/launch phase)
Keywords
digital government, citizen services, welfare access, AI policy

Context

In July 2026 South Korea's government began accepting company proposals for 'AI for Everyone', a state-funded programme intended to give every citizen free, unlimited access to an AI chatbot and a public-service agent, part of the administration's 'AI basic society' vision of AI access regardless of income, age or digital literacy.

Activities

The programme has two components: a general-purpose AI chatbot open to the public at no charge, and a public-service agent designed to identify welfare payments and administrative programmes a citizen qualifies for, notify them in advance, and help complete applications. Selected developers must use domestic, Korean-built foundation models for at least 50% of the system, and the service is committed to remain free through 2028 under government funding, with a goal of a personalised AI agent for every citizen from 2027.

Results

As of the source date, the initiative was still in the vendor-selection stage, with initial services expected to launch later in 2026. No usage, adoption or outcome data has been published; the evidence available is a funded government commitment and procurement rules, not a deployed and evaluated service.

Implementation
Indicative cost
Very high (> €5M) — State-funded at national scale for all 52 million citizens, free of charge through 2028 — a large multi-year public funding commitment, though a specific budget figure is not given in sources.
Time to results
Long (> 3 years) — Vendor selection began July 2026; initial services expected later in 2026; personalised AI agent for every citizen targeted from 2027; funded to remain free through 2028.
Staffing & skills
Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) runs the vendor-selection process, Selected private developers will build and operate the chatbot and public-service agent

Conditions for success

  • A binding requirement that domestic, Korean-built foundation models make up at least 50% of the system
  • A multi-year public funding commitment (free through 2028) to sustain adoption beyond initial launch

Commonly funded by

National / regional programmes

Indicative funding routes for practices of this type — always check each programme's current calls and eligibility rules.

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Data sources

Where this practice's information was retrieved from, and when.

Attachments

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